Witnesses Say Houston Wanted To Get Out Of Town After He "Busted A Cop"; Officer McMillan Testifies About Shooting

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Officer William McMillan

Witnesses testified Tuesday that Celvin Montez "Squeaky" Houston was anxious to get out of town after he said he had "messed up and busted a cop."

Special General Sessions Court Judge Kevin Wilson bound charges against Houston to the Grand Jury on the shooting of Chattanooga Police officer William McMillan and a robbery a few days earlier at the Hamilton Inn on Rossville Boulevard.

He remains held under a high bond.

Officer McMillan, a five-year veteran, said he was dispatched on March 12 to East Lake Courts on first a theft call and then a report of a disorder involving some 30 people. He said he spotted 10-15 people near a stoop at one of the residences.

He said he saw one individual in an orange shirt and orange-tipped hat walk away from the group, and he got out and started to follow him. He said he went in between two buildings, then heard someone call to the man.

The officer said he then saw him inside a screen door. He said the door closed as he approached, then the man came out firing.

Officer McMillan said after he was hit by multiple shots, he fell face first to the ground. It was then, he said, that he pulled out his own gun and began firing.

He said he then radioed that he had been shot. When another squad car drove up, he got in the back seat and was driven to Erlanger Hospital.

He said one shot went into his thigh near his crotch. Five other shots went into his buttocks. One bullet lodged in his gun magazine. He was released after being held overnight and is on administrative leave.

Alicia Houston said she dropped Houston off at East Lake Courts after taking him to the Walmart in Lookout Valley, where he bought a cellphone. She said he had started drinking early that day.

She said she later got a call from him and went to pick him up at the McDonald's on Rossville Boulevard. She said, "He sounded kind of shaken up. He needed to get out of town. He had just busted a cop."

The witness said after the shooting Houston "was crying. He was a wreck."

She said he had stated that he had warrants on him and he "was not going back to jail."

Monique Johnson, ex-girlfriend of Houston, said he called her and said he "had messed up and had shot a police officer. He needed money to get out of town." She said she told him she had no money to give him.

She stated, "He was scared. I could hear it in his voice."

Shanelle Hardy, another Houston cousin, said she received a call from him about 3 a.m. the morning after the officer shooting. She said he arrived about 4 a.m. and was "laughing and giggling."

She said, "I asked him if it was true that he had shot a policeman. He said he had shot someone."

Deshaun Walker, boyfriend of Ms. Hardy, said Houston indicated he had gotten into a confrontation with somebody and shot someone.

He said he was with Houston when the police SWAT Team arrived looking for him.

In the robbery case, Cavegeo Strickland said he had known Houston since high school. He said he was outside the Hamilton Inn going to his room a few days before the officer shooting when Houston pulled a gun on him and demanded money.

He said Houston then shot him in the leg and took a bag of CDs and movies he had in his hand.

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